We were planning on resuppling in Breck, Twin Lakes, Salida, Creede and Silverton. If S21-23 is still closed due to fires when we get there in 3 weeks ( we leave on Sat ) any suggestions on alternative resupply points - we are not familiar with the area so not sure where we would be rerouted to or where we would have to go around to avoid the fires.
Michele
this from CTF Facebook Page (correct that S21-23 closed entirely plus S24mi0-6.4)
FIRE WALK-AROUND ROUTE (per CT guru “BearCreek” Jerry Brown) You can walk (or bike) around the West Fork Complex wildfires:
Hike to near the end (~ mile 12.25) of Segment 18 then diverge North and follow the La Garita Wilderness bicycle detour westerly about 48 miles to Hwy 149. This is a fantastic route on remote, isolated and very scenic dirt roads which have almost no traffic. Diverging from the bicycle detour at Hwy 149, turn right and follow 149 downhill 7.1 miles to Cinnamon Pass Road. (You are very close to Lake City at this intersection, making it easy to resupply.) Turn left, pass Lake San Cristobal, and follow the Cinnamon Pass Road, 36 miles west to Silverton. From Silverton, walk 6 miles south on US Hwy 550 to rejoin the CT at Segment 25 Molas Pass. At this point you are approximately 75 miles from Durango via the CT.
As an added bonus you can bag three 14’ers along the route: Redcloud, Sunshine, and Handies peaks. They are accessible from Cinnamon Pass Road.
On Track
Thanks - I saw the reroute - but what about the water situation during those 90+ miles? Where can we get water? Also Apple, if you are reading this, are you going to change your location based on everyone getting off the trail to reroute on S18? You were going to be one of our highlights!!!
michele
Actually, if you are west bound you will hit my camp just before the detour. So I do not plan to move. Am I missing something?
angel apple
The “re-route” takes you off the trail at 18-12.3 so you miss Segments 19 & 20 even though these Segments are not closed (I am still hoping everything is open when I start in late-July). . Apple, are you going to be positioned at 18-12.3 (Saguache Park Road) so you also get the hikers that are re-routing?
I am very familiar with the re-route roads and although they are “okay” it’s nothing like hiking the trail in Segments 21-24 which I have hiked many times. Walking on dirt roads (such as CR 30 from LC to Silverton) is a poor substitute for Coney, Cataract Lake, Jarosa Mesa, Snow Mesa, Weminuche, etc.
SJ Ron
San Juan Ron
I will be a tad bit east of Saguache Park Road so I should see all the hikers (and bikers). I agree with SJR about the scenery over los Pinos Pass but it “is what it is”. apple
angel apple
From Slumgullion down to the Cinnamon Pass Road, there really isn’t water until you get close to the Cinnamon Pass Road when you will cross the Lake Fork River. Once you turn on the Cinnamon Pass Road, you will have off and on water access from the Lake Fork River to American Basin (20M up the Cinnamon Pass Road). There are small creeks over Cinnamon Pass and down to the ghost town of Animas Forks and then off and on access to the Animas River over to Silverton. SJ Ron
San Juan Ron
I mapped the walk-around described above. Let me know if you find any problems with it.
Some data:
The reroute is 97 miles long, including a stop in Lake City. From Segment 15 (Monarch Pass, near Salida), it is 120 miles to Lake City.
Eli
Helpful map, Eli, thanks. They credited you on the CTF facebook page and refined the map just a bit.
Looks like about 104 miles all the way to Molas Pass including resupply at Lake City. Goes through Silverton too. You gonna walk it?
On Track